Question 1

You are at the scene where a 19-year-old female college student has been drinking large quantities of alcohol throughout the evening.On your arrival,the patient is lying on her back with no signs of trauma,has vomited,and has slow,wet sounding respirations.Which of the following should you do next?

Accepted Answer

Opening the patient's airway using a head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver is crucial in this scenario because the patient's slow, wet-sounding respirations indicate a potential airway obstruction, likely from vomit. Ensuring the airway is clear is the first step in managing her care.

Question 2

Which of the following is completed first during the primary assessment?

Accepted Answer

Forming a general impression of the patient's overall condition is completed first during the primary assessment in order to quickly identify any life-threatening emergencies and provide appropriate interventions. Assessing mental status, opening the airway, and determining transport priority all come after forming the general impression.

Question 3

Which of the following describes the chief complaint?

Accepted Answer

The chief complaint is the main reason why the patient called for EMS and sought medical attention. It focuses on the patient's presenting symptoms or concerns. B describes the patient's history of present illness, and C describes the overall impression or assessment of the patient's condition.

Question 4

Which of the following represents the correct order of assessment for the EMT during the primary assessment from start to end?

Accepted Answer

The correct order for the primary assessment by an EMT includes starting with a general impression to quickly identify life-threatening conditions, followed by assessing mental status (AVPU: Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unresponsive), then ensuring the airway is open, assessing breathing, checking circulation (pulse and bleeding), and finally determining the patient's priority for emergency care or transport. This sequence is designed to address the most critical life threats first.

Question 5

Which of the following BEST describes an EMS provider's "sixth sense"?

Accepted Answer

Clinical judgment refers to the intuitive ability of experienced EMS providers to make decisions based on their experience and instincts, often described as a "sixth sense."

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT part of the general impression?

Accepted Answer

The general impression refers to the overall initial impression of the patient's condition that medical professionals form upon first encountering the patient. It includes observations such as the patient's facial expression, position, and physical appearance. The patient's past medical history, however, is not part of the general impression but can be important information for ongoing treatment and management.

Question 7

The mnemonic AVPU is used to evaluate which of the following?

Accepted Answer

AVPU is a quick assessment tool used by emergency medical personnel to evaluate a patient's level of responsiveness. It stands for Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unresponsive. By determining whether the patient is alert and responsive to verbal or painful stimuli, EMS providers can quickly assess the patient's level of consciousness and adjust treatment accordingly. The mnemonic is not used to assess the patient's chief complaint or transport priority, nor is it an evaluation of the EMT's general impression of the patient's condition.

Question 8

In EMS,what does mental status refer to?

Accepted Answer

Mental status in EMS refers to a patient's level of awareness of his surroundings, such as whether they are alert, responsive, confused, or unresponsive. It is an important aspect to assess during patient care. The other options, B and C, are not accurate definitions of mental status.

Question 9

In EMS,which of the following BEST describes the term intervention?

Accepted Answer

Intervention in EMS refers to taking steps to correct a problem or provide treatment for a patient's condition. It is an active step taken by the EMS provider to provide care rather than merely observing or assessing a situation.

Question 10

Which of the following is the purpose of the primary assessment?

Accepted Answer

The purpose of the primary assessment is to quickly identify and treat any life-threatening problems, such as airway obstruction, breathing difficulties, and circulation problems. This helps to stabilize the patient's condition and prevent further harm or deterioration.

Question 11

A patient whose mental status can be described as "verbal" is able to:

Accepted Answer

A patient described as "verbal" in the AVPU scale responds to verbal stimuli, such as speaking or shouting, by opening their eyes or showing some form of acknowledgment.

Question 12

You are approaching a young adult male lying supine on the ground with his eyes closed.You should:

Accepted Answer

The first step in approaching someone who is unresponsive is to try to awaken them by calling out and gently shaking their shoulders. If they do not respond, asking if they are okay is appropriate. This can help determine if the person is truly unconscious or just sleeping. If the person is not breathing, is not responsive, or is in obvious distress, then opening the airway and checking for breathing and a pulse are appropriate. Exposing the chest may also be necessary for assessment or treatment, but it is not the first step in this situation.

Question 13

Which of the following questions will most likely elicit your patient's chief complaint?

Accepted Answer

Asking about what made the patient call 911 will likely elicit their chief complaint, as this is likely the reason they sought medical attention.

Question 14

Your patient is a 72-year-old female who has "twisted her ankle" coming down some steps.She is alert and complaining of pain in her right ankle,but she jokes about her "clumsiness." Which of the following should you do next?

Accepted Answer

Asking the patient if she has pain anywhere besides her ankle will help gather more information about her condition and possible injuries. This will aid in providing appropriate and targeted care. A and B are not necessary interventions in this scenario, and C is not relevant to the patient's immediate care.

Question 15

What BEST defines the immediate sense of the patient's degree of distress,formulated from the patient's immediate environment,appearance,and chief complaint?

Accepted Answer

The general impression is the best way to quickly assess the patient's degree of distress based on their immediate environment (such as if they are in a dangerous location), appearance (such as if they are pale and sweating), and chief complaint (such as if they are complaining of severe pain). The primary assessment is a more thorough evaluation of the patient's airway, breathing, and circulation, while the scene size-up is a broader assessment of the entire scene for safety concerns. The secondary assessment is a further evaluation of the patient's specific injuries or illnesses.

Question 16

Which of the following is true concerning the primary assessment?

Accepted Answer

The primary assessment begins by observing the patient as you enter the room. While approaching the patient, the EMT can assess whether there is any obvious external bleeding or signs of respiratory distress. Manual airway maneuvers should only be performed if there are signs of an obstructed airway during the primary assessment. A sternal rub should only be performed if the patient is unresponsive and there is a need to test for responsiveness to painful stimuli.

Question 17

Which of the following techniques is used when formulating the general impression?

Accepted Answer

When formulating a general impression, all of the senses should be used to gather information. Detecting odors, listening for unusual sounds, and looking for visual clues can all provide important information about a situation or individual.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT true regarding a patient who has a mental status of less than "alert"?

Accepted Answer

A patient with a mental status less than "alert" can be in a variety of altered mental states, including confusion, lethargy, or even coma. However, they are not in a state of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM sleep occurs during normal sleep cycles and is associated with dreaming, muscle paralysis, and rapid eye movements.

Question 19

Your patient is a middle-aged man who appears to be in distress and is clutching his chest.These observations lead you to suspect which type of problem?

Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms of clutching his chest and appearing distressed are indicative of a potential cardiac problem, such as a heart attack.

Question 20

You find a middle-aged unresponsive man lying prone on the ground near a ladder.You should:

Accepted Answer

The man is unresponsive and may have a potential spinal injury. Therefore, manually immobilizing his head is the best choice until emergency medical services arrive. Moving the ladder or rolling him over can worsen any spinal injuries he may have, and using a scoop stretcher would require movement and jostling of the patient.

Quiz 12: The Primary Assessment